Actors Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan arrive to the premiere of “Rush Hour 3” at Mann’s Chinese Theater on July 30, 2007 in Hollywood, California.
Jeff Vespa | WireImage | Getty Images
Paramount is reviving “Rush Hour 4” nearly two decades after the last installment — a comeback pushed forward after President Donald Trump urged Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison to rescue the long-stalled buddy cop movie series, according to multiple reports.
Paramount has secured funding for the film and struck a distribution arrangement with Warner Bros. Discovery, which previously owned the franchise under its New Line banner, Puck’s Matthew Belloni first reported.
The project had been in limbo for years. Studios were repeatedly approached about a new installment but balked at working with director Brett Ratner, whose career collapsed in 2017 after several actors accused him of sexual misconduct. Ratner has denied the allegations and has never been charged.
Under the deal, Paramount will collect a flat distribution fee to release the film in theaters, Variety first reported, while Warner Bros. will take an undisclosed share of box-office receipts before financiers recoup costs.
Paramount Skydance nor Warner Bros. Discovery has responded to a request for comment.
The first three “Rush Hour” films were global hits, particularly in China, earning more than $850 million worldwide, according to box office estimates, and turning Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker into stars. But the new sequel faces a changed theatrical landscape where comedies have struggled at the box office. At 71, Chan has scaled back U.S. studio work, while Tucker hasn’t headlined a major film since 2007.
Trump’s intervention in Hollywood has drawn criticism. He has informally tapped allies including Sylvester Stallone, Jon Voight and Mel Gibson as cultural emissaries, and has repeatedly said he wants to restore what he calls “classical masculinity” to studio filmmaking.
The White House did not respond to a request for comment.
For Paramount, the “Rush Hour” revival comes as the newly combined studio aims to nearly double its output, targeting 15 films in 2026 and up to 18 by 2028.
The timing also overlaps with a major industry shake-up: Paramount Skydance, Comcast and Netflix have all submitted first-round bids to acquire Warner Bros. The portfolio includes some of entertainment’s most valuable franchises, from DC to Harry Potter.
Paramount is bidding for all of Warner Bros. Its proposal, previously valued at about $23.50 per share, would bring the entire company — the studio, HBO Max and the cable networks — under one owner.
Comcast wants is reported interested in the studio and streaming assets, including Warner Bros. and HBO Max. The deal would fold those pieces into NBCUniversal and let Warner Bros. Discovery spin off CNN and TNT Sports before the deal closes. Netflix is also interested in the film and streaming assets, people familiar with the matter previously told CNBC.
Warner Bros. Discovery is aiming to have its sale process wrapped up by mid- to late-December, CNBC previously reported.
Disclosure: Comcast is the parent company of NBCUniversal, which owns CNBC. Versant would become the new parent company of CNBC upon Comcast’s planned spinoff of Versant.